Having the same "no response" issue with my 3000. Took it apart and sprayed in contact cleaner as well as rubbing the ribbon cable HARD to try and re-establish contact. Worked until I put it back together and then nothing, back to not being able to calibrate.

The "pin" method you speak of - are you really poking through the ribbon cable with a pin? How long has this fix typically lasted. I'm guessing there is no other fix short of soldering in wires?!?